Winter road or snow and ice melting machine



A. WETTERVIK.

WINTER ROAD 0R SNOW A ND ICE MELTING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED IAN. 15.I920.

1,352,567, Patented Sept. 14, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

"A. WETTERVIK.

WINTER ROAD 0R snow AND ICE MELTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 15.1920.

Patented Sept. 14, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- a 7' z E 4:-

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AXEL WETTERVIK, OF IRON RIVER, MICHIGAN.

Application filed January 15, 1920.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l AXEL YVETTERVIK, a citizen of the United tates, and aresident of iron River, in the county of Iron, in the State of Michigan,have invented certain new and useful Im )rovements in Winter Road orSnow and Cs Melting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

T his invention relates to improvements in a machine which is moreparticularly intended for use in winter for melting snow and ice or forsnow leveling on roads, of a type which can be drawn by means of atraction-engine, an automobile, horses or the like, and in which one ormore melting rollers containing fuel holding and consuming means wherebythe cylindrical surface of the roller or rollers is heated and maintained in a hot condition for melting the snow and ice by direct contactwith the same in the travel of the machine thereover, but which can bemade of sufficient size or proportions to be manually operated onsidewalks, pathways and the like.

The invention consists in certain peculiarities of the construction,novel arrangement and operation of the various parts thereof as will behereinafter more fully set forth and specifically claimed.

7 The principal object of the invention is to provide a machine of theabove named general character, which shall be simple and inexpensive inconstruction, strong, durable and efficient in operation, and made insuch a manner and of such mater1al that the meltmg rollers thereof canbe econonncally heated and kept hot.

, Another object of the invention is to provide simple means foroperatively connecting the rollers of the machine together and forreadily steering the machine.

Other objects are the provision of means for furnishing drafts of air tothe fire boxes or grates to facilitate the burning of the fuel whennecessary, for readily supplying fuel to the boxes or grates therefor,and for removing ashes.

Other objects and advantages of the in vention will be disclosed in thefollowing description and explanation.

In the accompanying drawings which serve to illustrate an embodiment ofthe invention- Figure 1 is a plan view of the device show ing the partsby continuous lines in posi- Specification of Let'ters'iatent.

Patented Sept. 14, 1920;

Serial No. 351,663.

tion for straight ahead travel and by dotted lines in position forturning.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the machine.

F 3 is an enlarged sectional view of one of the melting rollers and itshood taken on line 83 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction indicated bythe arrows.

Fig. 1 is a sectional view through one of the rollers and its hood takenon line 4-4 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detached perspective view of one of the fire andwater-proof slabs or pieces out of which the cylindrical surface of eachof the rollers is made.

Fig. 6 is a detached perspective view of one of the washers used on thesecuring bolts for connecting said slabs or pieces to the tires andsupporting bands of the roll ers, and l I Fig. 7 is a plan sectionalview of one of the rollers and its fire box or grate.

Like numerals of reference refer to corresponding parts throughout thedifferent views of the drawings.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, it will be seen that themachine comprises a pair of rectangular and horizontally mounted frames10, each of which is provided at its rear end with a rearwardly extendedand substantially V-shaped frame-like extension 11 which are locateddirectly beneath the horizontal platform 12 which forms a part of theframe and has transversely mounted onits rear portion a box 13 to beused for holding fuel and also as a seat upon which the operator may sitfor steering the machine.

Located directly under the box 13 and platform 12 is a Ushaped framel lwhich has a pair of spaced apart and downwardly extended prongs 15between the lower ends of which is journaled a supporting roller 16 forthe. rear end of the platform. The frame or hanger 14 is provided with adisk or circular plate 17 on its upper portion which disk is fastened tothe platform 12 by means of a bolt 18 so that said disk or plate willact as a fifth: wheel. Secured to the lower portion of the prongs 15 orto the outer portions of the axle 19 on which the roller 16 is mountedare the rear ends of the prongs 20 of the pole or tongue 21 whichmelting rollers and to which means for drawing the machine such as atraction engine, an automobile, horses, or the like may be secured inany suitable way at its front portion.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings,

-the pole or tongue 21 is pivotally connected to a pair of bars 22 and23 which'are located one above the other and are slightly curvedforwardly and unite the roller carrying frames 10 at about their frontmiddle portions as is clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

T he ends of the bars 22 and 23 are pivotally connected by means ofbolts 24: to the front ends of the frames 10 and are likewise connectedby of a bolt 25 to the pole 21 as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

Vertically journaled in the platform 12 in front of the box 13 is asteering rod 26 which on its upper end a wheel 27 to be used for turningsaid rod in the proper direction. Passing around the rod 26 below theplatform 12 is a cable or chain 28 the in Figs. 1 and 2 in which viewsit will be.

observed that said platform is braced and pivotally connected by meansof brace bars 30 fastened at one of their ends to the lower surface ofthe platform and pivotally mounted at their other ends on the bolts 29below the extensions 11 of the roller carrying frames.

Each of the frames 10 has mounted there on a semi-circular hood orshield 31 each of which is provided in its upper portion near its innerside with a flue 32 for the outlet of smoke.

Each of the hoods or shields is by preference made ofnon-heat-conducting material so as to prevent the escape of heat up'wardly ad each of said hoods has in one of its sides a doorway 323closed by means of a door M which has at its lower end a recess 35 toengage one of the stub shafts or axles on which the rollers are mounted.This doorway and door is located on the outer side of the hood so as tobe easily accessible. and it is obvious that the door can be held inplace so as to close the door 33 by means of a rotary catch 35 withwhich eaclh of the doors is equipped at its upper enc.

Transversely mounted on each of the side rails of each of the frames 10at about the middle of said rails is a stub shaft 36 which have theirportions engaging the rails 10 squared or angular in cross-section asshown at 3? while their inner portions are cylindrical as shown topermit of the rotation thereon of the melting rollers. Extendeddownwardly from each of the stub shafts 36 are the sides 88 of the firebox 39 which may be made of any suitable durable material and is partlycylindrical in shape as shown in Figs. 3 and 7 of the drawings. Theaxles or stub shafts 36 are by preference made integral with the sides38 of the fire box and project at right angles therefrom.Horizontallylocated in the lower portion of the lire box 259 is a grated0 for the support of the'fuel and located in one of the sides of thefire box 39. Just below the grate are a *ies of perforations 41 for theadmission of air below the grate. The opposite side 38 of the box fromthat in which the perforations 41 are formed is provided with a doorway$2 for the removal of ashes from the ash receptacle 4-?) which is formedby the lower portion of the fire box 39 as is clearly shown in Figs. 8and 4: of the drawing. The doorway 12 is closed by means of suitabledoor 14:. Rotatably mounted on each pair of the stub shafts 36 or axlesare the hubs 45 of the heads 46 of the rollers which heads are shown inthe form of circular disks or plates and as having at the periphery ofeach a tire 17 or annular flange which support bars, slabs, or pieces-18 of lire clay or of any other suitable fire and w r-proof materialeach of which bars is by pr ference reinforced by means of wire 119embedded therein, which not only strengthens said bars but also permitsof expansion and contraction due to the change of temperature to whichsaid bars are subjected by reason of their exposure to the rest from thelire box and to the cold of the snow and ice. As is clearly shown inFig. 5, each of the bars is provided in its side edges with recesses 50for the reception of bolts 51 and washers 52 surrounding said bolts.These bolts are located in suitable openings in the tires 4:7 as well asin suitable openings in annular supports or hands 53 which are locatedin spaced relation with respect to one another as well as to the tires17 and between the latter.

By eference to 5 it will be seen and unde ;tood that each of the bars4-8 is provided on its outer surface at each of its edges with alongitudinal recess 5-4- which for the reception of retaining memberswhich located in said recesses and are secured to the tires 17 andsupports 53 by means of the bolts 51 and washers 52 which will so holdthe bars or pieces 48 as to permit of their expansion and contractionand so as to prevent their dislocation.

By reference to Fig. 4 of the drawings it will be seen and understoodthat the stub shaft 36 on the inner side of each of the frames isprovided with a longitudinal opening 56 through which is extended a pipe57 which extends downwardly along one side of the fire box and thenhorizontally under the grate 4.0 which horizontal portion is providedwith a series of perforations 58 for the outlet of compressed air whichmay be supplied to the pipe 57 by means of a pipe or rubber hose notshown leading from the outer end of said pipe to a source of supply ofcompressed air located near the steering wheel, which lead pipe or hosemay be equipped with a valve for regulating or shutting off flow ofcompressed air therethrough. The outer head 46 of each of the cylindersis provided with a doorway 59 closed by a suitable door 60, see Figs. 2and L of the drawings. This door is provided with a rotary catch 61 atits outer end for engaging the outer edge of the head elf) on which itis located and may be hinged or detachably secured at its other end.

By this arrangement it is apparent that when either of the rollers is inthe position shown in Figs. 2 and a of the drawings, the door 60 may beopened, when it is evident the door 44 of the ash receptacle 4-3 can bereached and opened for the removal of the ashes.

When it is desired to supply fuel to the fire box this can be done whenthe opening or doorway 59 in the roller registers with the doorway 33 inthe outer wall or side of the hood 31, when by removing the door 34-from said hood it is manifest that the door 60 in the roller can bereached and opened so that fuel can be placed through said openings intothe fire box.

By reference to Figs. 2 and 4 it will be seen and understood that theangular portion of the stub shafts 36 are mounted in suitable openingson the lower surface of the side rails of the frames 10 and are held inplace by means of blocks 62 which are detachably secured to said siderails, thus permitting the frames and their hoods to be removed from therollers.

While I have shown the machine as comprising two roller carrying framesand will usually employ such. a construction, yet it is manifest thatsaid frames can be detached from the platform and used by manuallypropelling them for use in melting snow and ice on sidewalks andpathways.

Each of the inner heads as of each of the rollers is provided near itsperiphery with a circular row of openings 63 for the admission and exitof air, smoke and gas, which will normally provide sufficient draft forburning the fuel.

While I have shown the machine constructed with a fire box for thereception of fuel in the form of wood, coal, and the like, yet it willbe understood that the rollers may be heated by means of oil or gasburners located within the fire box of each of the rollers, whichburners may be of the ordinary or any well-known construction.

When using the machine the same is driven over the surface where theroad is desired to be made, and by reason of the hot rollers the snowand ice will be melted or leveled, leaving a road through which travelcan be conducted.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a machine of the class described,the combination with a pair of horizontal frames coupled together attheir front and rear ends, of a hood mounted on each of the frames andcarried thereby and each having a door-way in its outer side, a door toclose each door-way, a fire box having at each of its sides a stub shaftrigidly fixed to the side rails of each frame, a hollow rollerencompassing the fire box and rotatably mounted in each'of the frames onsaid stub shafts and each having a doorway in its outer end, a door toclose each of said door-ways, said fire box having a grate and below thegrate an ash rereptacle, a door-way in the side of the fire box adjacentto the door-way of the roller, and a door to close said door-way in thefire box.

on the outer surfaces of said pieces, and" bolts located in the cutawayportions of said pieces and connecting the tires and retaining membersas well as the annular bands and retaining members together.

AXEL VETTERVIK.

